Allahabad set to become UP’s solar power hub

Many institutions and offices in Allahabad including Allahabad Nagar Nigam, Allahabad High Court and Indian Institute of Information Technology-Allahabad (IIIT-A) besides a number of government offices are also opting for roof top solar power generation plants.

Allahabad is all set to become a major solar power generation hub in Uttar Pradesh. The project to set up a solar energy park on Gujarat model at trans-Yamuna region of Meja in Allahabd has picked up speed. This park is coming up on a 100 hectare land near Kosda village of Meja tehsil and already 80 per cent of the work is complete. If everything goes as per plan, officials associated with the project, claim that generation of 50 MW power would start here from August itself.

Many institutions and offices in Allahabad including Allahabad Nagar Nigam, Allahabad High Court and Indian Institute of Information Technology- Allahabad (IIIT-A) besides a number of government offices are also opting for roof top solar power generation plants.

Under- construction solar power plants

130 kw solar power plant at Police Lines: The survey work for setting up the solar power plant is now complete. Construction is set to start soon.

50 kw solar power plant at office of Allahabad divisional commissioner: Works for setting up the plant is underway. Solar power generation is expected to start within three months.

300 kw solar power plant at IIIT-Allahabad: Installation of a 300 kw rooftop plant connected to power grid is under way at IIIT-A’s boy’s hostel. Generation of power expected from May 2017.

Some of these solar power plants have even started functioning. The solar power plant set up atop the Vikas Bhawan, located in the heart of the city and housing offices of various government departments, is one such plant that is already producing 70 kw power for the past one month.

The prestigious Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad (IIIT-A) is also all set to generate 300 KW electricity by installing solar panels on the roof of its boy’s hostel building. The institute would install a 300 KWp rooftop plant connected to the power grid at the boy’s hostel for the mission. Nearly 940 solar panels and 10 inverters will be installed on the roof of Fifth Boys Hostel of the institute that would start generation of power from May 2017.

All these roof-top and other solar power plants will contribute excess electricity generated by them to the power grid, which then would also be used by others all over the state.

Many believe that if the trend and the pace continues, Allahabad would become a major centre of producing solar generated electricity and help make power cuts during summers a thing of the past soon.

New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (NEDA) junior engineer Mohd Shahid informed that besides government and non-government institutions, a number of individuals too are coming forward to set up solar power plants with NEDA’s support.

Leading in thermal power generation too

With Meja thermal power plant work 80 per cent complete, another theemal one proposed at Karchchana and one by Jaypee Group already partly functional at Bara, Allahabad is also set to light up the state. The Jaypee Group plant already has two of its three proposed units functional and is producing 1320 mw power. The third unit will also start functioning from next month taking power generation capacity to 1980 mw.

The NTPC and state government’s 1980 mw power plant at Bara is nearing completion. Here three units of 660 mw each will generate thermal power and its first unit is expected to start functioning within the enxt three months. A 1980 mw power plant is also to be constructed at Karchchana but the construction work is yet to kick-off.